IF YOU'RE GOING...

Guests don’t need to party like rock stars to enjoy the musical vibe of the Crystal Hotel, a newly remodeled, century-old building packed with dramatic rooms, in the heart of downtown Portland.

This latest link in the hip local McMenamins chain of eight hotels drew inspiration from the Crystal Ballroom nearby, where artists such as Tina Turner, James Brown, and the Grateful Dead have all performed. On concert nights, hotel guests can slip into the hall early through side doors and get tickets to sold-out shows. But the hotel is no one-hit wonder. Outside, Powell’s Books, the chic stores of the Pearl District, and pizza and films at McMenamins’ Mission Theater all fall within a five-minute walk. Inside, peace reigns in the subterranean saltwater soaking pool, and acoustic musicians play at Al’s Den, a cozy pub.

And when it’s bedtime, lyrics on the walls of the lush rooms swathed in velvet drapery and thick carpets sing guests to sleep, ever so quietly. From $85. (503) 972-2670, mcmenamins.com/crystalhotel.